Machine for making fabric cylinders



May 9, 1950 w. BISHOP 2,506,916

MACHINE FOR MAKING FABRIC CYLINDERS Filed Nov. 7, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG .2

INVENTOR.

WALT ER B SHO P ATTORNEY y 1950 w. BISHOP 2,506,916

MACHINE FOR MAKING FABRIC CYLINDERS Filed Nov. 7, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. WALTER BISHOP ATTORNEY v May 9, 1950 Q w. BISHOP 2,506,916

MACHINE FOR MAKING FABRIC CYLINDERS Filed Nov. 7, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR. 'WALTER BISHOP y 1950 w. BISHOP 2,506,916

MACHINE FOR MAKING FABRIC CYLINDERS Filed Nov. 7, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 1 'INVENTOR.

WALTER BISHOP BY I fl TORNEY Patented May 9, 1950 MACHINE FOR MAKING FABRIC CYLINDERS Walter Bishop, Augress, Mich., assignor to Fraser Products Company, Alpena, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application November 7, 1947, Serial No. 784,566

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for securing together the longitudinal, substantially parallel edges of a sheet of fabric to form a cylinder.

In the manufacture of certain fabric products, such as seat covers, for example, a great quantity of coated binding tape is required. It is a well established fact among persons familiar with the use of fabrics that best results are obtained with binding tape cut on the bias. It is also established in the art that such bias binding tape can be most economically made by effecting a spiral or helical cut in a cylinder of fabric whose Warp threads are longitudinally disposed with respect to said cylinder.

According to present methods said cylinder of fabric is produced by sewing together the longitudinal, substantially parallel edges of a sheet of fabric with a belt stitch. However, after the strip of bias tape has been cut from said cylinder and is being used, it has been found that said tape is weak and unsightly at those points where said stitching appears. Consequently, some new method has been sought by which said parallel edges of a sheet of fabric could be secured together other than by stitch- Accordingly, a primary object of this invention is to provide a machine by means of which the longitudinal, substantially parallel edges of a sheet of coated fabric may be joined together in a stronger and more attractive manner than by stitching.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine, as aforesaid, whereby the joint between the two said rparallel edges may be made invisible.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine whereby said process may be carried out semi-automatically.

Other objects and purposes, not specifically mentioned above, will become apparent to persons familiar with this general type of equipment upon examination of the accompanying drawings and upon reading the following specification.

In order to meet the above objects and purposes, as well as others incidental thereto and associated therewith, I have conceived a machine for carrying out the above described objectives in which the longitudinal, substantially :parallel edges of a sheet or strip of coated fabric may be joined together with a strip of tape to form a cylinder of said fabric. The cylinder is then flattened and the air within said cylinder is expelled to insure its remaining flat, after which a substance similar to the coating on said fabric is applied to the joint and caused to harden. After said substance upon said Joint has reached a desired state of firmness, it is exposed to suitable embossing means which gives said covered joint the same appearance as the rest of the coated fabric and thereby entirely hides the joint.

For an illustration of a preferred embodiment of one, but by no means the only, machine whereby said objectives may be carried out, attention is directed to the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a partially broken side elevation view of the machine to which this invention relates.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of a portion of the machine shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 1 taken along the line III-III.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional View of Figure 2 taken along the line IV-IV.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 2, taken along the line V--V.

Figure 6 is a section taken on the line VI-VI of Figure 2.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary, oblique view of the fabric joining portion of the machine including a piece of fabric.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary, oblique view of substantially the same portion of the machine shown in Figure 7, but without the fabric.

Figure 9 is a left end elevation view of the machine as appearing in Figure 1.

Figure 10 is a section taken on the line X-X of Figure 9.

Construction The following description discloses a particular, preferred embodiment of a machine illustrating the invention and whereby the above enumerated objectives may be carried out. Said machine, as shown in Figure 1, is comprised of a joining section It and a resurfacing section I I.

The joining section The joining section ID has a frame I2, fabricated from any suitable material such as structural iron angles, channels and wood, which may be secured together by welding, bolting or other similar, convenient means. The rightward end [3 of the frame l2, as appearing in Figures 1 and 2, rotatably supports a roll M of coated fabric whose edges l5 and I6 are to "be joined together.

In order to simplify the following description,

the right end of the machine as appearing in Figure 1 will be referred to as the rightward end or as the forward end, and the left end of the machine will be referred to as the leftward end or as the rearward end. The ends of the joining section 10, appearing in Figure 2, will also similarly be referred to as leftward and rightward ends, respectively.

Although the machine to which this invention relates will be hereinafter described and disclosed for illustrative purposes as used with fabric having a coated surface, it will be clearly under: stood that section of the machine, which joins the parallel edges 15 and I6 of said fabric l4 together, may be applicable to any type of fabric whether coated or not. It will be further understood that although the coating on said fabric M is hereinafter referred to as pyroxylin, said coating may be any conveniently soluble coating substance presently in use.

A long tube 5?, which is preferably made from a sturdy material such as steel or aluminum and is longitudinally disposed with respect to the joining section ll) of the machine, is supported at one extremity by means of a first crossbar l3. Said tube is also supported midway between its extremities, by a second crossbar 59 which is attached to said frame I2 by means of the tie bar 22. Said cross bars l8 and i9 and the tie bar 22 which are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tube I! and the joining section I0, may be made from any suitable material such as structural iron angles or channels, or wood as aforesaid.

The unsupported or free end 23 of the tube [1, remote from that extremity supported by the crossbar I8, is unsupported in any way beyond the crossbar IS. The horizontal, side angle member 24, which is substantially parallel with and at about the same height as the tube i1, is preferably a much larger angle iron than the remaining frame members and is approximately the same length as the tube I1. Said side angle member 24, which is supported at both ends upon legs 25 and 25 of any convenient type is perpendicularly engaged at its rightward end by an end of the crossbar l8, and is perpendicularly engaged intermediate its extremities by the end of the tie bar 22 remote from the tube II.

The leftward end of said side angle member 24 as appearing in Figure 2, is perpendicularly engaged by a horizontal end angle member 28 of shorter length but preferably the same size structural angle as the side angle member. That end of said end angle member 28, remote from said side angle member 24, is provided with an end plate 29.

An upper pressure wheel shaft 32, which lies adjacent to and approximately parallel with said end angle member 28, is rotatably supported within a suitable opening in the end plate 29 and by a pair of standard bearings 33 and 34. The outboard bearing 34 is mounted upon the leftward end of said side angle member 2 and the inboard bearing 33 is mounted upon a base plate 35 which plate is in turn secured to said end angle member 28 adjacent to said side angle member 24, in any convenient, conventional manner.

The end of said shaft 32, which extends through the end plate 29, supports an upper pressure Wheel 36 preferably, but not necessarily exactly, directly over the longitudinal axis of the said tube H. The end of said shaft 322, remote from said wheel 35, extends beyond the outboard bear- '4 ing 34 where it supports a driven gear pinion 3'! and a driving gear pinion 38.

The driven gear pinon 31 is engaged by a suitable chain 39 which chain also engages the driving gear 42 of an appropriate gear box 43. Said gear box, which may be supported upon a bracket 2'! attached to the leftward leg 25 of the frame in any suitable manner, is driven by a motor 44 through any appropriate means such as by the V-belt drive 45.

The driving gear pinion 38 engaged by a suitable chain 46, which chain also engages and drives the driven gear 4?, which gear is located adjacent to the rightward end of said side angle member 2d. The gear i? is mounted upon and rotatable with a stub shaft 48 between the conventional bearings 5i and 52. Said bearings 5| and 52 are supported upon a bracket 53 which is secured to the rightward side angle leg 25.

A drive shaft 54 is supported at one end by a bearing 55 (Figure 5) mounted on the rightward side angle leg 25, and is supported at its other end within a pair of suitable bushed diametrically opposed openings in the rightward end of the tube ii. A gear pinion 5B is secured to and rotatable with the end of said shaft 54 extending beyond the bearing 55 and is so positioned that it is engaged by the chain 35, said chain thus being adjustably supported by the pinion 4'! and driving the pinion 56.

A gear pinion 5! is mounted upon, and rotatable with, that portion of the shaft 54 within the tube ll near the rightward end thereof. As shown in Figures 4, 6 and 8, a lower pressure wheel shaft 58 is horizontally and rotatably mounted Within suitable bearings in the unsupported end 23 of the tube H. A slot 59 is provided in the top of said tube H, longitudinally disposed therewith and adjacent to said lower pressure wheel shaft 58.

A lower pressure wheel 6! is affixed upon and rotatable with said shaft 58, directly in line with the slot 59, so that the upper peripheral surface of said lower wheel 6i will extend through said slot 59 for engagement with the lower peripheral surface of said upperwheel 36.

A gear pinion 52 (Figure 6) is secured to and rotatable with the shaft 58, Within the tube l1 and adjacent to the lower wheel SI. Said gear pinion 62 is engaged by and driven by a chain 63 (Figure 4), which chain also engages, and is in turn driven by, the gear pinion 57.

It will be understood that the gear pinions, chains and other drive devices hereinabove specifically mentioned are so mentioned for illustrative purposes only. It will be obvious to persons familiar with this general type of equipment that many, well known variations may be introduced into the drive and transmission system hereinbefore and hereinafter described without departing materially, if any, from the scope of the invention.

A tape guide wheel 64 is rotatably supported in any convenient manner upon a shaft 35 within the tube H, in line with and adjacent to said lower wheel 5|. Said guide wheel is also in line with and directly below the slot 55, and is inboard of the lower wheel 58 with respect to the leftward, or unsupported, end of the tube I1.

Suitable tape 66, which may be taken from a roll 6! appropriately supported upon the frame [2, is fed through the tube ll, under the guide wheel 64 and thence up and between the pressure wheels 36 and SI.

A fabric guide plate 68 (Figures 4. 7 and 8) is secured in any convenient manner, such as by bolting, to the top of said tube I'I so that the guide finger 69 extends into the region between the pressure wheels 39 and (H, but not the nip thereof, as illustrated in Figures 7 and 8. An elongated opening ii is provided in said guide plate 99 in line with said guide finger 99, and is so positioned that it rests directly over that portion of the slot 59 above the tape guide wheel 64. Thus, the feed of the tape 99 on the guide wheel 64 may be observed during the operation of the machine through the opening ii and the slot 59.

A vertical flange i2 is provided at the end of the finger 99 next to but not in contact with the said pressure wheels 39 and 3! Said flange I2 is preferably on a line between the center of the engaging portion of the pressure wheels and the centerline of the opening ii. Thus, the edges I5 and I9 of the fabric being made into a cylinder are brought against opposite sides of the flange 3 I2 just before these edges feed between the pressure wheels 39 and 91. The tape 96, which is provided with a suitable pressure responsive type of adhesive on one side, is fed between the fabric and the lower pressure roll with the adhesive side against the fabric where the seam is created.

A pair of air ejecting rolls, indicated in Figures 1, 4 and 6 as the upper roll 73 and lower roll 14, are rotatably supported by means of standard bearings I9 upon a pair of conventional angle iron uprights '56 adjacent to the unsupported end 23 of the tube I'l. Said uprights it may be secured to the frame I 2 of the joining section by any suitable means such as the braces ii.

The air ejecting rolls I3 and is are positioned so that there is enough clearance between their opposed surfaces to pass with ease the fabric cylinder made on said joining section While at the same time squeezing out any air from within the collapsed cylinder. Roll 79 may be driven by a prime mover l8 and drive as appearing in Figures 2 and 6.

Resurfacing section After the edges I5 and I9 of the said fabric have been secured together by the tape 96 as above described, a visible seam 99 remains in the resultant cylinder of fabric 8| (Figure 7). The resurfacing section II, hereinafter described in detail, conceals said seam 89.

Said resurfacing section II is comprised of a drying loft 92, shown in Figures 1, 3 and 9, to which is attached the coating fluid container 83 and the embossing mechanism 94. Said drying loft 92 may be a vertical, rectangular shaft, substantially as shown, in which the side sheets 85 are supported by two front corner posts 99 and two rear corner posts 9'I. Said corner posts may be made of any suitable material, such as structural angles, which may be braced with additional structural brace angles 89. The side sheets 95 may be made of any suitable sheet material such as pressed wood, plywood or the like. The height of the drying loft is determined by the time required to obtain the requisite drying, or other hardening, of the fabric coating as hereinafter provided.

Electric drying lamps 99 (Figure are suitably energized and mounted at appropriate positions throughout the length of the loft on the inside of the front and rearward walls thereof for the purpose of applying a drying heat to the seam of the fabric cylinder 8| after it has been treated with a suitable coating fluid along the seam 89.

The loft 82 is provided with a, feed-in roll 89 (Figures 1 and 3), which is rotatably mounted upon the said front corner posts 86 by means of the conventional bearings 9| on approximately the same level with the upper air ejecting roll 13. A feed-out roll 92 is rotatably mounted upon the rear corner posts 81 by means of the conventional bearings 99, preferably at the same level as the feed-in roll 89.

A first top guide roll 94, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, is rotatably supported at one upper corner of the loft 92 by any suitable means, such as the standard bearings which are mounted in; a. conventional manner upon the structural brace angles 88. A second top guide roll 94a, similar to the first top guide roll, is similarly mounted at the other upper corner of the loft. These two rolls are positioned to space the fabric cylinder as desired from said lamps 99.

The feed-in and feed-out rolls 99 and 92, respectively, may be driven by an electric motor 99 (Figure 9) through suitable transmission means 9'1 such as a V-belt drive.

The feed-in roll 89, feed-out roll 92 andtop feed rolls 94 and 94a may all be fabricated similarly to each other. As illustrated in Figures 3 and 9, these feed rolls, which are mounted substantially parallel to each other, are each comprised of a roll shaft 98, a center angle support disk 99, two end angle support disks I99 and two sets of gripping angles, I92.

In this particular embodiment of the invention, the support disks 99 and I99 are secured to and rotatable with said shaft 98. The gripping angles I92, which are provided in two sets of equal lengths for each roll, are each secured as by welding at their extremities to the middle disk 99 and one end disk I99. Sufficient space is left between the adjacent ends of the two sets of gripping angles I92, where they engage the center disk 99, to allow the freshly coated seam portion of the fabric cylinder to pass over said feed rolls Without being contacted thereby during the drying process. It will be recognized, of course, that the upper guide rolls 99 and 94a, do not need this space, but for convenience in repair and replacement it is still desirable to have all four rolls the same.

The embossing mechanism 94 is comprised 0 support legs I93 and cross brace angles I94 which tie said legs I93 to the rear corner posts 81. A backing roll I95 is rotatably supported upon said cross brace angles I99 by means of appropriate bearings I99. An embossing roll I91 is rotatably supported upon a pair of bearings I98, directly above and parallel with said backing roll 195. Each of said bearings I98 is mounted upon a structural angle 199 near one end thereof. The opposite ends of said structural angles I99 are pivotally secured, one each, to the rear corner posts 81 so that said angles I99 are substantially parallel and horizontal when the embossing disk III andthe backing disk II2, respectively, of the said embossing and backing rolls are in operating position.

The embossing roll I91 (Figures 3 and 9) may be comprised of a shaft H3, said embossing disk I I I, centrally located upon said shaft, anda pair of drive rolls II l, one on either side of said embossing disk III and of sufiiciently less diameter .than said disk to insure firm embossing but without destroying the tight grip of said drive rolls. Said disk II i is preferably provided with a heating unit I I5 adjacent thereto.

The backing roll I95 (Figures 1 and 9) iscom prised of a shaft H6, a backing disk H2, cen trally located upon said shaft, a pair of end disks l'lfla, spaced from and arranged on either side of said backing disk H2, and two sets of drive angles Ht which are secured, as by welding, to said backing disk H2 and the end disks t Ia.

Resilient means, such as the coiled springs il-i and center rods H8, which are anchored upon said cross brace angles I'M engage said structural angles I 39 about midway between their extremities and tend to augment gravity inholding said embossing disk. H l down against said backing disk H2; Vi he'n said disk Ill and H2 are engaged, there is sufficient clearance between said drive rolls MK and said backing roll '15 to permit the free passage of the cylinder of fabric which is being resurfaced but withsuificiently firm engagementby said rolls for reliable driving.

The embossing roll. shaft H3 and the backing roll shaft are= synchronously driven by a suitable means such as an electric motor and gear or chain drive mechanism similar to the other drive mechanism used herein.

The coating fluid container 83 (Figure l which may be any convenient, conventional dis penser, is preferably supported upon said drying left 82 between the two front corner posts so that the fluid contained in said dispenser may flow through a suitable spout 2-23; wherefrom a controlled discharge-may be had onto the visible seam 8fl in= the fabric cylinder 8i as said cylinder leaves the air ejecting rolls l3 and it.

Operation Preliminary adjustments of the machine, whose construction has been hereinabove: disclosed; include providing appropriate spacing between the pressure wheels 55 and 6|, and between theair ejecting rolls-(Sand M The tape GS i's placed under the-guide wheelie and passed n x-between the pressure wheelstii and all. The fabric isdrawn' from the roll it below the-cross bars IB- and i9, and the edges l5 and id of said fabric are brought up over the sides of'the guide plate 68 until they bear-against opposite sides of the vertical flange i2 and are held between the pressure wheels 1 36 and 6|.

'I'heelectric motor 44 may be thenenergized; therebyactuating the gear box 53 through the \!"--belt drive 45'i The upper pressure wheel 36 is driven by said gear box 43 through the chain 39 and the shaft 32. The lower DIQSSdlG'WhGBl 8 1 isdriven through the pinion 3 8 on' the shaft 32; thechaindfii the pinion-56; the shaft 55-,- the pinion 51; the-chain 63, the pinion EZ'a-ndthe shaft 58 as shownin Figures 2, 4, and 5. The pinions; shafts and chain are selected-so-that said-uppei-and lower pressure wheels will rotate at the same peripheral speed The-fabric is fed between said pressurewheels 36 and 6! and-the air ejecting rolls l3 and M until there' is a sufficient lengthof the completed, but flattened, fabric cylinder to pass under the feed-in roll 39, up the forward side of the'loft ii -over the top feed rolls 9 and 9 m baclc down the'rearward'side ofthe-loit 82' and beneath'the feed-outroll 92;" andbetween theemoossingroll I01 and the backing roll 135.- The electric motor Mispreferably-stopped, and the seam forming part' advanced by hand, while the fabric cylinder is initially threaded'through the'loft- 82; and the embossing rolls asaforesaid.

The entire machine is now set into operation, which'includes actuation of said pressurewheels,

said feed in and feed o'ut rolls,- said embossing and backing rolls and said fluid dispenser. An operator is required to feed the edges l5 and it of the fabric against opposite sides of the flange 72 while another operator may dispose of the fabric cylinder 8| as it leaves the embossing and backing rolls I0! and H35, such disposition usually being folding into a receiving box but it may involve winding by hand or automatically onto a suitable feel.

The edges 15 and IQ of the fabric on the roll it are held together by a strip of tape 66 which has pressure sensitive adhesive on that side which engages said fabric; The pressure wheels 36 and it press the butted edges 15 and [6 against said tape 66. As the resultant cylinder of fabric 81 leaves said pressure wheels, it passes between the air ejecting" rolls 13 and 14 where substantially all of the air in said cylinder issqueezed back towards said pressure wheels and the cylinder is-fully collapsed.

As the collapsed cylinder moves from the air ejecting rolls to the'feed-in roll 89, it passes beneath the dispenser 83 where a coating of the fluid held therein is applied through the spout 52a to the said fabric cylinder along the visible seam 85 thereorr- This fluid may be any fluid which-- will amalgamate with the coating onthe fabric to provide a perfectly smooth, seam concealing, coating and will carry a suitable quantity of coloring pigment similar to that in the coating. For a pyroxy lin coating, the fluid will be-pyroxylin and a solvent suchas acetone.- The said fluid coating, which covers said seam, is caused to dry, or otherwiseharden, as desired while the collapsedcylinder passes up and down through the loft 82 past the said electric heating lamps around the feed rolls 89, 94, Ma and 92. The applied seam conceaiing coating, by the time it reaches-the embossing roll I61, is dried enough to be firm-but not too hard to receive an embossing impression.

The embossing disk Ill is provided with the necessary markings to effect an impression in the coating on said seam 88, which causes the ccated'portio'n toresemble'the remainder of the fabric and the seam thus to be completely concealed.- The "heating element F l 5, acting through the embossing disk, completes the hardening of the coating.

Persons'acquai'nted with the type of equipment herein-disclosed will be able to recognize many ways in" which the machine described may be altered; modified or otherwise revised without departing from the scope of theinvention. Therefore, it'will-b'e clearly understood that such alterations, modifications and revisions become apart of this invention unless specifically stated to the contrary in the hereinafter appended claims;

1" claim:

1'; In a machine: for bonding the longitudinal, substantially parallel edges 'of a sheet of coated fabric to a single strip'of tape to form a fabric cylinder, and for removing substantially all traces of the seam between the joined parallel edges of said coated fabric, the combinationconrprising: means for r'otatably supporting a roll of said coated fabric; horizontal tubular means perpendicularlydisposed with respect to said roll of coated'fa'bri'c; a frame engaging said tubular means at one point intermediate its extremities and at anotherpoint adjacent tothat extremity nearest to said roll of fabric; thereby leaving one end of said tubular means unsupported; a slot 9, through the uppermost wall of said tubular member and near its unsupported end; means supplying binding tape having a pressure sensitive adhesive on one side thereof to the supported end of said tubular means; pressure applying means comprising a pair of opposed pressure wheels, one pressure wheel being rotatably mounted within the unsupported end of said tubular means, so that its periphery extends through and slightly above said slot in the top of said tubular means, and the other pressure wheel being rotatably supported upon said frame means directly above and peripherally engaged by said one pressure wheel; driving and transmission means including a prime mover and a gear box secured to said frame means for rotating said pressure wheels; guide means mounted upon said tubular means adjacent to said pressure wheels whereby said parallel edges of said fabric are brought into engagement without overlapping before bein fed between said pressure wheels; air ejecting means comprising a pair of horizontal, parallel, vertically opposed rolls rotatably mounted adjacent to the unsupported end of said tubular means and positively driven in timed relationship therewith; fluid dispensing means for applying a coating to said fabric cylinder along the junction between the said parallel edges after discharge thereof from said lastnamed rolls; drying means comprisin a vertical loft and drying elements placed therein and power driven feed rolls rotatably mounted thereon; embossing means comprising a pair of horizontal, parallel, vertically opposed rolls, the lower roll being rotatable and fixed with respect to said drying loft and the upper roll being rotatable and resiliently mounted with respect to said drying loft and said lower wheel; and driving and transmission means for rotating said lower and upper rolls, all arranged and constructed so that the said parallel edges of the said sheet of fabric are secured together by means of said strip of adhesive coated binding means to form a fabric cylinder with avisible seam, which seam is covered with a fluid coating, after the air has been ejected from said cylinder, and said fluid coating is dried after which it is embossed so that the seam disappears and the coated portion of :the fabric cylinder adjacent to the seam resembles the remainder of the fabric surface.

2. In a machine for bonding the longitudinal substantially parallel edges of a sheet of coated fabric to a single strip of tape to form a fabric cylinder, and for removing substantially all traces of the seam between the joined parallel edges of said coated fabric, the combination comprising: means for rotatably supporting a roll of said coated fabric; tubular means perpendicularly disposed with respect to said roll of coated fabric; a frame engaging said tubular means at one point intermediate its extremities and at another point adjacent to that extremity nearest to said roll of fabric, thereby leaving the other extremity of said tubular means unsupported; a slot through the uppermost wall of said tubular member and adjacent its unsupported end, means supplying binding tape having a pressure sensitive adhesive on one side thereof to the supported end of said tubular means; pressure applying means comprising a pair of opposed pressure wheels, one pressure wheel being rotatably mounted within the unsupported end of said tubular means, so that its periphery extends between the walls defining said slot in the top of said tubular means, and

the other pressure wheel being rotatably supported upon said frame means directly above and peripherally engaged by said one wheel; driving and transmission means including a prime mover and a gear box secured to said frame means for guide means rotating said pressure wheels; mounted upon said tubular means adjacent to said pressure wheels whereby said parallel edges of said fabric are brought into engagement with-- out overlapping before being fed between said pressure wheels; air ejecting means comprisinga pair of horizontal, parallel, vertically opposed rolls rotatably mounted adjacent to the unsupported end of said tubular means for receiving" said sheet of fabric are secured together by means of said strip of adhesive coated binding means to form a fabric cylinder with a visibleseam, which seam is covered with a fluid coating,-

after the air has been ejected from said cylinder, and said fluid coating is then dried after which it is embossed so that the seam disappears and the coated portion of the fabric cylinder adjacent.

to the seam resembles the remainder of the fabric surface.

3. In a machine for bonding the longitudinal, substantially parallel edges of a sheet of coatedfabric to a single strip of tape to form a fabric cylinder, and for removing substantially all traces of the seam between the joined parallel edges of said coated fabric, the combination comprising: means for rotatably supporting a roll of said dicularly disposed with respect to said roll of coating fabric; a frame engaging said tubular means at one point intermediate its extremities and at another point adjacent to that extremity nearest to said roll of fabric, thereby leaving one end of said tubular means unsupported, and a slot through the uppermost wall of said tubular means near its unsupported end; means supplying binding tape having a pressure sensitive adhesive on one side thereof to the supported end of said tu-' bular means, pressure applying means comprising a pair of opposed pressure wheels, one pressure wheel being rotatably mounted within the unsup-' ported end of said tubular means, so that its periphery extends through and slightly above said slot in the top of said tubular means, and the other pressure wheel being rotatably supported upon said frame means directly above and peripherally engaged by said one pressure wheel; driving and transmission means including a prime mover and a gear box secured to said frame means for rotating said pressure wheels; guide means mounted upon said tubular means adjacent to said pressure wheels whereby said parallel edges of said fabric are brought into engagement without overlapping before being fed between said pressure wheels; a pair of rollers receiving the fabric cylinder from said pressure rolls, flattening same and ejecting substantially all air therefrom; a drying loft and rollers therein conducting said flattened cylinder in the manner of a single web therethrough; and means positively engaging said flattened cylinder and drawing it through said drying loft in timed relation to its discharge from said pressure rolls.

4. In a machine for bonding the longitudinal, substantially parallel edges of a sheet of coated fabric to a single strip of tape to form a fabric cylinder, and for removing substantially all traces of the seam between the joined parallel edges of said coated fabric, the combination comprising: means for rotatably supporting a roll of said coated fabric; horizontal tubular means perpentubular member and an upper pressure roll coact- 1.

ing therewith for engaging and pressing together said tape and adjacent edges of said fabric as same are manually introduced between said pressure rolls; means positively rotating said pressure rolls; fluid dispensing means for applying a coating to said fabrics along the junction between said adjacent edges; a pair of rolls receiving the fabric cylinder from said pressure rolls, flattening same and ejecting substantially all air therefrom; a drying loft and rollers therein conducting said flattened cylinder in the manner of a single web therethrough; and means including an embossing roll positioned for bearing against said coating along said edges positively engaging said flattened cylinder and drawing it through said drying loft in timed relation to its discharge from said pressure rolls, whereby the said parallel edges of the said sheet of fabric are secured together by means of said strip of adhesive coated binding means to form a fabric cylinder with a visible seam, which seam is covered with a fluid coating, after the air has been ejected from said cylinder, and said fluid coating is dried after which it is embossed so that the seam disappears and the coated portion of the fabric cylinder adjacent to the seam resembles the remainder of the fabric surface.

5. In a machine for bonding the longitudinal, substantially parallel edges of a sheet of coated fabric to a single strip of tape to form a fabric cylinder, the combination comprising: means for rotatably supporting a roll of said coated fabric; horizontal tubular means perpendicularly disposed with respect to said roll of coated fabric; a. frame supporting said tubular means by engaging only one portion thereof and leaving the remainder unsupported; means supplying pressure sensitive binding tape to said tubular member from the end thereof nearest said roll of coated fabric; a slot near the unsupported end of said tubular means on the upper side thereof; a lower pressure roll within said tube and extending through said slot sufficiently that its uppermost peripheral surface is slightly higher than the uppermost peripheral surface of said tubular member and an upper pressure roll coacting therewith for engaging and pressing together said tape and adjacent edges of said fabric as same are manually introduced between said pressure rolls; means positively rotating said pressure rolls; a pair of rolls receiving the fabric cylinder from said pressure rolls, flattening same and ejecting substantially all air therefrom; a drying loft and rollers therein conducting said flattened cylinder in the manner of a single web therethrough; and means positively engaging said flattened cylinder and drawing it through said drying loft in-timed relation to its discharge from said pressure rolls.

6. In a machine for bonding the longitudinal,

substantially parallel, edges of a sheet of coated fabric to a single strip of tape to form a fabric cylinder, the combination comprising: a horizontal tubular member; a frame supporting said tubular member by engaging one end portion thereof and leaving the other end portion unsupported; means supplying a continuous sheet of said coated fabric to said supported end of said member; means supplying pressure sensitive adhesive tape to said tubular member at its supported end; a slot near the unsupported end of said tubular member in the upper side thereof; a lower pressure roll within said tube and extending through said slot sufficiently that its uppermost peripheral surface is not lower than the uppermost peripheral surface of said tubular member, and an upper pressure roll coaxial therewith for engaging and pressing together said tape and the adjacent edges of said fabric as same are manually introduced between said pressure rolls; means for positively rotating said pressure rolls; a pair of rolls receiving the fabric cylinder thus formed from said pressure rolls, flattening same and ejecting substantially all the air therefrom; a drying rack and rollers therein conducting said flattened cylinder in the manner of a single web therethrough; and means positively engaging said flattened cylinder and drawing it through said drying rack in timed relation to its discharge from the pressure rolls.

WALTER BISHOP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,924,551 Higgins Aug. 29, 1933 2,068,163 Bowersock Jan. 19, 1937 2,157,732 Piazzi May 9, 1939 2,169,936 Wagner Aug. 15, 1939 2,358,455 Hallman Sept. 19, 1944 2,360,703 Molins et a1 Oct. 17, 1944 2,411,542 Ilch Nov. 26, 1946 

